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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25354618">#10 Ghost Towns</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Error403HRD/pseuds/Error403HRD'>Error403HRD</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>1000 Prompts [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword &amp; Shield | Pokemon Sword &amp; Shield Versions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ambiguous/Open Ending, Fear, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Minor Original Character(s), One Shot, Overworking, Paranoia, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, Suicidal Thoughts, Trauma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:46:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,283</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25354618</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Error403HRD/pseuds/Error403HRD</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"If I don't make it through, it won't be just because of Gengar."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>1000 Prompts [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1822279</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>#10 Ghost Towns</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He shivered as he made his way through town, the action went unnoticed.</p><p>The bright light of the gym stood out amongst the dark town.</p><p>Allister could tell he was being watched.</p><p>The stalls were closed.</p><p>Most people were asleep, and if they weren't they were in their homes.</p><p>He was the only one awake.....him and....<i>them</i>.</p><p>He hated them.</p><p>Others thought them to be normal people but they weren't.</p><p>He knew they weren't.</p><p>They knew that he knew.</p><p>"<b><i>Gym Leader, a challenger has entered.</i></b>"</p><p>Turning swiftly, Allister held a hand up to his mask to keep it from falling.</p><p>"T-Thank you...."</p><p>Nodding, the....<i>thing</i> drifted away.</p><p>It was nearing sunrise.</p><p>He'd have to finish this up before Bea's shift.</p><p>He was being watched.</p><p>His every movement.</p><p>Why was the night so barren?</p><p>He had to be up for the full twelve hours for his gym.</p><p>With nothing but the ghosts.</p><p>And the...<i>things</i>....</p><p>Maybe he should quit.</p><p>Escape Stow-on-side.</p><p>Escape the <i>things</i>.</p><p>But....his parents....his grades....his friends....</p><p>Was it worth it?</p><p>No, was being a gym leader worth it?</p><p>Twelve hours of work. With those <i>things</i>.</p><p>Eight hours of school.</p><p>An hour or so of homework.</p><p>Whatever remained was when he slept.</p><p>He never spoke with his parents.</p><p>He was always tired.</p><p>But they were happy that he was the gym leader.</p><p>So he could deal with it.</p><p>Being a gym leader made his parents happy.</p><p>And giving Bea the twenty four hour shift wasn't nice.</p><p>The other gym leaders complained about challengers waking them up and having to be ready and looking  mostly put together before they completed the challenge.</p><p>No, he could deal with it.</p><p>Even if it meant he always felt like this night would be his last.</p><p>Why wasn't he allowed to pick his own gym trainers.</p><p>He saw the way they watched him.</p><p>They were just waiting for the moment to strike.</p><p>And he wasn't foolish enough to believe Gengar was loyal to him.</p><p>Or Chandelure. Or Dusknoir.</p><p>The moment he does something Chandelure doesn't like, he's done for.</p><p>The moment he seems like a good friend, Gengar will kill him and force him to be his companion for the rest of eternity. Or he could just one day give in to the voices he hears every time he gigantimaxes.</p><p>Dusknoir could choose to steal his soul at any moment.</p><p>Polteageist, Runerigus, and Cursola were the only ones he could somewhat trust.</p><p>He can't touch Cursola or he'll be paralyzed.</p><p>He can't touch Runerigus or he'll be traumatized.</p><p>But Polteageist will only cause him chills if angered, something he gets every time Gengar is in the general vicinity.</p><p>Or when he's around those <i>things</i>.</p><p>Polteageist is the only one he can have out on a regular basis.</p><p>Polteageist is the only one he's actually befriended.</p><p>He's too scared to befriend the others.</p><p>Entering the gym on his side, he knew few people would show up.</p><p>Everyone in the stadium heard the voices coming from Gengar.</p><p>All his matches were better watched at home, safely.</p><p>Besides, few people were even awake for his matches.</p><p>Steeling himself, he would attempt to put up a strong front.</p><p>He couldn't let his pokemon think he was easy prey.</p><p>Or those <i>things</i>.</p><p>The challenger made their way through and they both entered the field.</p><p>The stadium was silent.</p><p>"I'll give you a warning now, this could be the day of your death. Bea is safer to challenge."</p><p>The challenger looked momentarily worried, but steeled themself,</p><p>"I can handle it."</p><p>Allister sighed,</p><p>"I'm sorry in advance."</p><p>And the match started.</p><p>They were relatively evenly matched, though that Vanilluxe they sent out was unreasonably bulky.</p><p>Perhaps that was why they didn't want to challenge Bea. Vanilluxe was clearly their ace.</p><p>Then it went down.</p><p>And Allister was on his last pokemon.</p><p>He tried not to shake as he pulled out Gengar's pokeball.</p><p>He didn't need to put on a show, but....</p><p>It made Gengar less likely to think him a good friend.</p><p>Putting on a show made him less likely to give in to the voices.</p><p>So he did.</p><p>"<i>Allister-</i>"</p><p>No.</p><p>"-<i>You've grown-</i>"</p><p>Shut up.</p><p>"<i>Remember your grandmama-</i>"</p><p>No.</p><p>"<i>Don't you miss me-</i>"</p><p>No.</p><p>"<i>Allister, why are you being so stubborn-</i>"</p><p>Go away.</p><p>"<i>Allister-</i>"</p><p>Shut up.</p><p>"<i>Come on-</i>"</p><p>Please.</p><p>"<i>The fear will finally be gone-</i>"</p><p>Nononononono stay strong, focus on the battle-</p><p>"<i>It's painless-</i>"</p><p>No no nonononono-</p><p>"<i>You'll finally be free-</i>"</p><p>Nonononono-</p><p>"<i>Join me, I miss my grandbaby-</i>"</p><p>Shut up-</p><p>"<i>Allister, you owe me a chess match-</i>"</p><p>No nonono-</p><p>"<i>You promised me an ice cream-</i>"</p><p>Please-</p><p>"<i>I miss my brother-</i>"</p><p>Stop it-</p><p>"<i>You're being selfish-</i>"</p><p>Shutupshutupshutupshutup-</p><p>"<i>I just want someone to talk to-</i>"</p><p>Allister was caught off guard by an explosion, the voices abruptly stopped.</p><p>The challenger won.</p><p>They looked like they wanted to cry.</p><p>Allister walked up.</p><p>He had to calm his heart.</p><p>"It's okay. I hear the voices of my grandmother, cousins, and a sibling that died a few months back." The challenger looked horrified,</p><p>"Y-You hear that every time you battle?"</p><p>Allister gave a grim nod and the challenger looked like they wanted to puke.</p><p>"Y-You're so much stronger than I could ever be...."</p><p>Allister could see that something they heard was weighing on them.</p><p>"It's better to talk about it you know."</p><p>The challenger nodded and seemed to be trying to get their bearings.</p><p>"I-I heard my mother calling me attention seeking and selfish. I was so happy when she died because....it's just....her voice took me by surprise..."</p><p>The challenger still loved an abusive parent.</p><p>Gengar almost gaslighted them.</p><p>Allister knew his face was green behind the mask.</p><p>"It's normal to still be attached to abusers. There's a list of support groups in the lobby for those who have experienced trauma."</p><p>The challenger was holding back tears as they nodded, their Araquanid attempting to comfort them by shoving their hand in its' bubble.</p><p>Allister handed over the badge, shame boiling inside him.</p><p>"You never have to come back here. What Gengar reminded you of was horrible and you have every right to report me if you so wish."</p><p>The challenger shook their head,</p><p>"N-No, it...I heard my grandparents too....it confirmed that I wasn't unloved. If what I heard today is like anything you have to go through every time you battle.....I hope you'll get through this."</p><p>Allister didn't know if he agreed.</p><p>Shaking his head, he sighed,</p><p>"If I don't make it through, it won't be just because of Gengar."</p><p>The challenger looked momentarily horrified before a look of understanding washed over their face.</p><p>"Oh....well....thank you. I-I have to go."</p><p>Bidding the challenger goodbye, Allister left; the <i>things</i> were already gone and Bea was entering the building. She gave a tired wave and yawned before releasing her pokemon and started sparring with them to wake herself up.</p><p>School started in half an hour.</p><p>He rushed home to get changed into his uniform and say good morning to his parents, trying to put his most recent battle out of his mind.</p><p>Ignore the voices.</p><p>Neither parent responded to his greeting.</p><p>Ignore the voices.</p><p>The day was so much more pleasant than the night.</p><p>Ignore the voices.</p><p>As his gym shift started and the paranoia set in once more, a throat cleared and he turned to see a league official standing at the entrance.</p><p>The challenger must've reported him then.</p><p>"Yes?"</p><p>The league official looked uncomfortable.</p><p>"We received a report about your pokemon having a negative effect on your psyche. As you are underage, this is of the utmost importance, Bea volunteered to take your shift tonight as we investigate. Follow me."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Yes the original character is nonbinary.</p><p>Allister is apparently school aged and working fulltime as a gym leader, that sounds pretty fucking shady to me, there has to be some kind of child exploitation going on here.</p><p>So yeah, um, sorry Allister, you're my favorite, but having a child working with pokemon that can and will kill him at the drop of a hat does not sound like there are any responsible adults in his life/immediate social circle.</p><p>This is one of those one shots I'd totally love to write a full story on....I just might do that actually.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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